Breakfast
by HomiSidle
Summary: *I've updated! Finally!* A Crash and Burn rewrite - how the last scene should've gone. G/S!
1. Chapter the First

Title: Breakfast  
  
Author: HomiSidle  
  
Description: An alternate ending to Crash and Burn, with a definite twist. G/S.  
  
Spoilers: Crash and Burn  
  
Disclaimer: *Sigh* I don't own CBS, CSI, or even Jerry Bruckheimer. I also don't own Evanescence, who sings the song below, called "My Immortal". I just borrowed it. I just borrow these characters and make 'em do what I'd like 'em to do on TV.  
  
Thank you to Jessi, aka Snick, whose writing constantly inspires me. You were my first fan! I dedicate this to you because you pushed me to write it, and I thank you for it. I also want to thank everybody at UtB for helping me get over the drought of Geek Love we've been experiencing lately.  
  
***  
  
"When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears  
  
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears  
  
And I held your hand, through all of those years  
  
But you still have all of me..."  
  
Sara Sidle looked him over, disbelieving. He had lied to her. He'd been lying to her for months, and yet there he stood, looking as smug as ever. She was sure there was a hint of shame in his expression somewhere, but all she could see was the man that had cheated on her, and that instantly granted him the image of a ruthless son of a bitch. He hadn't ruined her life - no, Sara wouldn't fall for that nonsense. She was too smart for heartache, at least in her own opinion. This, though, was something she'd never had to deal with before.  
  
He'd told her to get a life, and she did. She always did what Gil Grissom asked of her, because she respected him. He was her boss. Never mind the fact that she was deeply in love with him. Of course, that was why it had hurt so much that the life she'd gotten wasn't with him. It had hurt both of them. Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom weren't together. He was banging a psycho dominatrix and she had fallen for a lying scum. One could assume that neither was very experienced in keeping positive relationships, and one would be quite correct in that assumption. They were socially awkward... geeks.  
  
He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, Gil Grissom. He was brilliant when it came to entomology and forensic science, but when it came to women, he was utterly clueless in every aspect. She'd thrown him lines all over the place, hoping for a response, but eventually gave up. Sara Sidle was tired of the game, but this game with Hank was one she truly had no interest whatsoever in playing. She surveyed him again, silent and calm on the surface.  
  
"Sara, I-" Hank begun, looking as though it was insane that Sara didn't get what was going on. Yes, he'd cheated on her, but hey, he was just a guy.  
  
Sara stared at him blankly, her eyes flickering over him. Her mouth was thin and completely straight, though it turned down slightly at the edges. She wasn't going to let him get away with this.  
  
"No, Hank. I'll... I'll see you around," She mumbled. Damnit. She couldn't even find the words to tell him off. She felt like an imbecile, letting him get away with it. There had been a definite note of finality it her sentence, at least.  
  
That was when she heard her supervisor come up behind her, and the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end like they always did when he walked by. A tiny shiver passed over her as Grissom came up beside her and looked from her to Hank, back to her, to Hank again, his gaze finally resting on Sara, making her smile slightly, despite the situation.  
  
He was carrying a folder and a few papers, and hunched over somewhat to look at them, like he always did. He peered over his glasses to survey the scenario. Sara suddenly noticed her lips go dry, but was too awkward to moisten them.  
  
"What's... going on, Sara?" Grissom asked, concerned.  
  
"Nothing," Hank said, with the voice of a ten year old boy caught reading porno magazines in his room. He turned back to Sara.  
  
"I have to go," Hank said abruptly, turning around and walking out. Sara felt defeated. Her shoulders slumped, and she stared up at the ceiling to prevent tears from forming in the corner of her eyes, turning away to try and hide her emotions from Grissom.  
  
"Sara, what's going on?" Grissom questioned, moving closer to the back of Sara. He could smell her. She always smelled beautiful. He used to stand so close to her just so he could breathe in the air that surrounded her.  
  
"Nothing, Grissom," Sara replied, her voice shaking to an extent. She sounded aggravated and despondent at the same time. She twisted back around to face him, and found him standing much nearer than before. She looked down at the floor, her voice breaking as she spoke.  
  
"You ever... trust somebody so much, and then they... go and fuck everything up?" She asked, snapping her head up to stare him in the eyes.  
  
"Yes," He responded simply, reaching up absent-mindedly to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes. She looked surprised. He looked surprised, too, when he realized what he'd done. There was a silent pause before she spoke again.  
  
"Who, Grissom?" She questioned, unwilling to break the eye contact.  
  
"Me," He retorted, and she grinned, causing a warmth to spread throughout his entire body. Grissom continued, "People are always asking me for help, or advice, or... attention... and I never end up giving it to them, even when they truly need or deserve it."  
  
Sara laughed, her voice wavering. She cursed herself inwardly for being so emotional regarding all of this. She looked up at him.  
  
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked, reaching up to tuck more hair behind her ear. Her face was hot. She was nervous, he could tell. He knew he should back off, but he just couldn't find his feet. The second she protested, he'd be down the hall in 0.2 seconds. Honest.  
  
She surveyed him. He was truly concerned, which surprised her. Sara presumed that he knew about Hank. Everyone knew about Hank, even though very few of those people enjoyed his presence aside from her. Had Catherine told Grissom about Hank's other girlfriend? His... real girlfriend? Most likely. They were best friends, after all. She'd have to thank the blonde later.  
  
Sara paused, her breath catching in her throat, before saying, "Eventually."  
  
He grinned. She never stopped being tough, even when most people would give up completely.  
  
"Would you... like to go for breakfast?" Grissom proposed, startled at his own words. Was he actually going for this? After three years, was he asking Sara out to breakfast?  
  
"Yes," Sara replied simply.  
  
Apparently, he was. He smiled at her and she smiled back, pulling them both out of a temporary trance. She laughed again, looking to the floor, then the back door, and then wiping her eyes roughly.  
  
"Don't tell anyone I cried, alright? I'll have you hunted down and killed," Sara said, causing Grissom to laugh. It was a laugh she hadn't heard in a very long time. He'd become so sullen lately. Why had he come to make her feel better? Had Catherine finally pushed him to it? Maybe Nick, or possibly Warrick? She'd most likely never know.  
  
"Wouldn't dare," Grissom replied softly, putting his hand around hers. Her eyes grew wide for a moment, but then settled back into their sockets. Just touching her was exhilarating.  
  
"It'll be okay," Grissom offered, trying to be sympathetic, which wasn't exactly his strong suit. This was awkward for him, but it was worth it for Sara.  
  
She looked up at him, disbelieving once again. Did he actually care?  
  
"Damn right it will," She laughed, but still squeezed his hand. It seemed like she'd never stop the act, but that was alright with Grissom. Her hand in his was enough proof that beneath the rough exterior, she'd just been burned bad.  
  
Walking out to his Tahoe, Sara already felt better, but her heart was beating like a jackrabbit. In five minutes she'd gone from heartbroken to giddy like a little girl. It felt like she was back in Grissom's forensic seminars, when he took her to the San Francisco forensics lab for the first time. She'd been so excited to be in an enclosed space with Grissom that she hadn't even noticed when they arrived. Of course, she was soon enthralled with all the bugs and bodies, but she'd never forgotten that car ride.  
  
Opening the door to the passenger side, Sara looked across the car to Grissom, who was just unlocking the driver's side door.  
  
"Grissom," She asked slowly, catching his attention, "Why are men such assholes?"  
  
He smiled, slightly shocked by her unusual supply of profanity.  
  
"It keeps me in a job," He replied, causing her to beam. They got in the car and he began to drive.  
  
Halfway to the restaurant, as Sara sat in a confused daze thinking over the events of the day, her cell phone rang, causing her to jump slightly. At first she thought it was Grissom's, and she looked over at him, smiling when she saw his hands shifting uncomfortably on the wheel. He was nervous, as well. It made her feel better.  
  
Absently she picked up the phone and flipped it open, still looking at Gil as he peered back at her out of the corner of his eyes. He was trying not to smile, just like her.  
  
"Hello?" Sara asked, tearing her gaze away from him.  
  
"You owe me. He is the most stubborn man in the entire forensic world," Said a familiar voice, belonging to Catherine Willows. So this was her doing. The brunette grinned even harder.  
  
"Thank you," Sara replied childishly, trying to hide her smirk.  
  
"Like I said, you owe me," Catherine replied, laughter in her voice. Then she hung up.  
  
Sara flipped her phone shut, grinning. He may not have had the initiative to comfort her originally, but he still did it, and that was a step in the right direction.  
  
"Who was that?" Grissom asked curiously, his eyes on the road.  
  
"Wrong number," Sara responded, looking at him. He looked back for a moment and as their eyes locked, they both grinned like awkward teenagers.  
  
"Watch the road," Sara smirked. Grissom turned back to stare through the windshield.  
  
Breakfast, huh? Sara hoped it would lead to more than that, but she assumed it would. They'd come this far. It had taken them three years, but they had come this far. Right now, this breakfast was the only thing in the world that mattered.  
  
She'd have her desert later.  
  
Finis! 


	2. Chapter the Second

Note: It's Chapter Two! I wasn't originally intending to make this a WIP, but I've had so many reviews asking for more that I figured I was obliged to do just that :) so here it is! Breakfast. chapter two. Thanks to everyone for your super support!  
  
***  
  
"How can you see into my eyes, like open doors,  
  
Leading you down into my core  
  
Where I've become so numb...  
  
Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
  
Until you find it there and lead it back home..."  
  
Sara looked over at Grissom from across the grease-coated table. He seemed to be particularly absorbed with his omelette - examining it like he would a film container full of pupae. She could tell he was lost in thought, unaware of her piercing stare, absorbed in his own mind like he so often was. She frequently desired to know exactly what it was that he was thinking, but she supposed that she would have to settle for his less-than- frequent surface emotions.  
  
Sara had barely touched her own vegetarian omelette. They both sat in silence, awkward and unsure of what to do or say, yet still wearing nervous smiles. The brunette desperately wanted to cut through the stillness that hung over them like a cloud. Surprisingly, though, it was Grissom who first spoke.  
  
"Sara... um," he said, anxiety emanating from his voice, "I'm sorry about Hank."  
  
Sara grinned. So he did know about it. That must have been what Catherine told him.  
  
"I'm sorry too," Sara replied simply, jabbing at her mutilated omelette, imagining Hank's piggy face - those green pepper eyes, that pineapple grin... that bastard.  
  
"He had no right to treat you that way," Grissom offered, attempting empathy.  
  
Sara found it near impossible to conceal her gap-toothed grin. From any other man, that line would have been clichéd and unemotional, but she knew Grissom was not just any man. She was so used to the Gil Grissom that had the emotional capacity to play a "dead corpse on slab" that this was a surprising and extremely amusing change.  
  
Looking up to meet his gaze, Sara allowed herself a small smile.  
  
"No, he didn't," she responded, gazing into his eyes. He smiled caringly, catching her off guard. She tried embarrassedly to blink away the miniscule droplets forming in the corners of her eyes.  
  
"That bastard," she muttered to herself nervously, not sure whether her insult was directed to the inexcusable actions of her ex, or the unforgivable weakness that Grissom's affection had exposed in her.  
  
That was when she felt his hand on her knee, consoling her gently. Sara started, causing his hand to retreat and his eyes to look away from hers. She immediately cursed herself for her jumpiness.  
  
"Sara, we don't have to be here if you're... not comfortable," Grissom said slowly, carefully choosing his words. He didn't want her to leave, god no. He wanted to be touching her again, absorbing her incredible warmth through his eager fingertips, run his hands through her long, chocolate hair, and -  
  
She brought him out of his trance by placing her own hand on his knee underneath the table. He looked up at her, bug-eyed and excited simultaneously.  
  
"Grissom, it's taken us three years to go out for breakfast," Sara stated, making him shift uncomfortably but not break eye contact, "there's... no way in hell I'm leaving now."  
  
The last of her truthful statement was uttered so flatly that Grissom was unsure what reaction to make. That was when Sara broke into a wide grin. Grissom stared disbelievingly at her for a moment before he smiled as well, making them both laugh. Sara smiled because these brilliant bouts of laughter were always interrupted by piercing stares from both sides of the table. Grissom laughed because he hadn't in so long that it was quite difficult to stop. When the two of them slowed, and then finally halted, they were left with the expected gaze.  
  
Sara placed her hand on top of his, squeezing his fingers lightly, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Grissom bit his lip to stop from smiling, rubbing her knee tenderly.  
  
"I'm glad you invited me," Sara said softly.  
  
"I'm glad I did, too," he replied.  
  
That was when Grissom's pager went off, interrupting the moment entirely. Sara smiled awkwardly, pulling her hand away from her supervisor's. Grissom swore violently under his breath, remembering the night he had invited Teri Miller out to dinner and the exact same thing had happened. Teri had been a brilliant, beautiful, clever woman, so naturally her and Grissom couldn't have lasted, because he was married to his job. Now he sat across from the most beautiful, most wonderful female in the entire galaxy, and prayed that she wouldn't walk out on him.  
  
"Excuse me," Grissom said angrily, though his anger wasn't directed towards her. Sara nodded quizzically and he turned away from her to flip open his cell.  
  
"Hello?" Grissom nearly demanded, inwardly furious at the invading call. After all, he was off - work was over for the night. There was no reason for him to be contacted unless hundreds of Marilyn Manson wannabes had committed mass genocide at the MGM grand.  
  
"Grissom, it's Catherine," the disembodied voice on the other end replied, "why are you so ticked?"  
  
Grissom's shoulders unclenched and he relaxed slightly. There was no point in getting mad at the blonde - she won every argument she'd even been a part of.  
  
"I'm... having breakfast," he responded, and upon hearing the expectant pause at the other end, continued, "with Sara."  
  
Grissom turned up to look at Sara and saw her eyes pop out almost completely. He smiled and reassured her by mouthing the word 'Catherine' in her direction. Sara got it and relaxed, grinning apprehensively.  
  
"Huh," Cat replied, apparently thinking over the situation, "good job, Griss. It's about time."  
  
He wasn't surprised - she'd been the one who had entered his office just a few hours earlier and laid out the Sara situation in such a simple way that even an antisocial chimpanzee would understand it. He realized he must have looked like a fool, staring wide-eyed at the demanding woman as she ordered Grissom to take control and seek out Sara.  
  
"I know," he retorted kindly, "I know."  
  
Grissom could almost hear Catherine smile victoriously on the other end of the phone.  
  
"Don't you grin like that," he spoke into the receiver, causing the listener to break into laughter.  
  
"I just called to tell you that Sara has got tonight off work, and... so do you," Catherine said clearly.  
  
Grissom thought for a moment before replying, "Catherine, I don't have tonight off. I don't work tomorrow night."  
  
Catherine rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see it through his phone.  
  
"Now you do. Greg's covering for you, and I suspect it's going to be a slow night. If we need you two, we'll call you. Our resident spiky-haired DNA expert wasn't too pleased about the scenario, but I told him if he wasn't satisfied, I could always have him transferred to day shift completely. Interesting trivia - Greg Sanders fears Conrad Ecklie nearly as much as you despise him."  
  
Grissom smiled, "Goodbye Catherine. Thank you."  
  
He heard her laugh playfully and then the phone went dead. He hadn't stopped staring into Sara's eyes through practically the entire phone call, and when he hung it up, she was still there, her hand now entwined with his.  
  
"Thanks for not leaving," Grissom said honestly, grinning.  
  
Sara smiled, and her breathing became heavier. She gazed into his eyes, trying to memorize their sheer intensity. She felt like they pierced her soul, like he could read every one of her thoughts. These stares made her feel naked and exposed, but only to him, and it didn't bother her as much as it had before.  
  
Holding his hand in that moment, Sara forgot about Hank. Her mind temporarily erased the growing mound of self-doubt inside of her, and she felt beautiful and appreciated. She could feel his gentle fingers caressing hers, reassuring her. They were both quite nervous and inexperienced for adults with previous relationships. This, to Sara, felt like her first date. She was giddy and self-conscious and... in love?  
  
She was awoken from her dreamy stupor by Grissom's unsure voice.  
  
"Do you want... a ride home?" He asked, both to Sara and to himself.  
  
She thought about it for a very brief moment before replying.  
  
"Only if you... stay with me," she said quietly, inwardly proud that she'd finally been able to push the words out.  
  
Grissom looked surprised, probably because he was. He scanned the brunette's face for sarcasm, and there wasn't a trace. Apprehensiveness? Sure. Confusion? Most definitely. Should he go for it? Hell yes.  
  
"Stay with you?" He asked, aiming to control his excitement.  
  
"There's a special on the mating habits of moths today on Discovery," she smiled, "you know, they're a species dependant on symmetry as a form of attraction."  
  
Grissom blinked, remembering that night under the overpass nearly a year ago.  
  
"I've got widescreen," she offered, grinning.  
  
"Alright," Grissom responded in a deadpan voice, "but only for educational purposes."  
  
"Education is important," Sara smiled, squeezing his hand under the table.  
  
They gazed at each other for another long moment before they were interrupted by the casino waiter asking if they wanted one check or two. Grissom naturally offered to pay, and Sara graciously accepted, hiding her smile. The waiter soon returned, and upon paying, the two scientists stood up and walked to the car, standing eagerly close to one another. Halfway there, Grissom spoke.  
  
"Do you have an extra bed?" He asked, still unsure of the rules of her overnight request.  
  
"No," she replied honestly.  
  
"I suppose we'll have to share, then," Grissom responded, putting on his sunglasses as they stepped out of the back door and into the light.  
  
Entering the car, Sara finally gave up trying to suppress her happiness. She felt the warm sun on her face, and momentarily was unbothered by the prospect of harmful ultraviolet rays. The sun was up in Las Vegas, which usually meant it was time for her regulatory four hours of sleep. Then she would rise and try to break into the lab for some overtime.  
  
Maybe today she wouldn't go back to the lab. Maybe she'd spend today with Grissom. Her heart pounded again as she reached the car, and remembered how she'd felt approaching the Tahoe a few hours ago. Nervous, panicky, eager; all of the above. Sara had invited her boss to spend the day with her, and she couldn't be more worried. Did he want this? Was this right?  
  
Grissom noticed Sara's edgy behaviour and wondered if this was something she wasn't ready for. He wasn't sure how to comfort her or meet her needs, so he pressed his knee against hers, feeling the heat emanating from her slender leg. Sara smiled at his gesture and relaxed slightly. Now her panic had turned to excitement.  
  
She'd have to thank Hank. After all, if it wasn't for his sorry ass, Sara Sidle would not be in a car with Gil Grissom en route to her apartment, with the intention of spending the day there with him.  
  
Hank had done one thing right by her - he'd given Grissom a perfect reason to console her and finally pursue their relationship. Sara didn't feel slutty bringing him back to her apartment. They'd known each other for so long that it felt like they'd been waiting an eternity to explore each other. It had all built up into this one day.  
  
'Thanks, Hank,' Sara thought to herself, 'I owe you one.'  
  
***  
  
End, chapter two. Want more? Leave a review, and tell me what you think! :) 


	3. Chapter the Third

Okay, Okay, there IS a third chapter! Possibly more. How does it start? You'll just have to read on. I'd like to ALSO reiterate that I'm using these Evanescence lyrics without permission, but please don't sue me. They just fit with the story. :)  
  
***  
  
"I've been sleeping a thousand years, it seems,  
  
Got to open my eyes to everything..."  
  
Sara Sidle suffered from morning amnesia. More accurately, it came as a great relief to her. Every morning she went through a similar routine, which began with a blissful nothingness - where she was aware of nothing, thought of nothing, felt nothing. That was quickly replaced with a wave of demanding questions that her overused brain had trouble answering in time, such as 'Where am I?', 'How did I get here?', and on this particular morning...  
  
"Where are my pants?"  
  
Grissom turned over to see the now awakened woman lying beside him. He, unlike his female companion, did not have morning amnesia, and was well aware of the situation. He smiled gently at Sara's shocked expression, her eyes subtly darting back and forth to try and decipher the current scenario.  
  
She was in bed. In bed. With Grissom.  
  
Suddenly it came rushing back, as it always did - the stale omelette, the excruciatingly long car ride to her apartment, the brief but awkward silence that had quickly been filled with passionate kisses. She remembered the frantic grasping for buttons and zippers, the nervous laughter and the incredible stares, the moment, when it came, where Sara's swollen lips hovered millimetres from Grissom's as they seemed to share a single breath between them...  
  
"Oh," Sara blurted, her eyes wide with surprise.  
  
"Yes it was," Grissom replied, smiling and reaching up to stroke back a rogue strand of her chocolate-coloured hair.  
  
"Did we?" She asked, though she truthfully did not need confirmation.  
  
"We did," he answered, his smile fading slightly, "Are you alright?"  
  
Sara thought for a moment. She thought about all of the reasons this was wrong. The obvious ones first - He was her boss, the wide age difference, they worked together - and then the less obvious - We only had breakfast together, he can't possibly understand what this means to me emotionally, I just broke up with a lying scumbag so I was possibly just in need of any form of love and he was the first person I found - and came to a conclusion.  
  
"Oh yes," Sara replied, causing Grissom's adoring smile to return. She returned the grin, and he leaned forward and pressed his warm lips against her forehead. Feeling the static charge that came when his lips soon grazed across hers, a shiver spread down her bare back, causing her to giggle embarrassedly. Grissom had never heard Sara giggle.  
  
The brunette leaned back against the pillow and surveyed the room. She hadn't seen much of it the night before, as she'd been buried in Grissom's face and chest and - well, suffice it to say, she'd been otherwise occupied. It was a very nice room, with neatly painted white walls and glass jars full of peculiar things everyplace. Sara smiled, because this was exactly how she'd always pictured his dwelling place. It was surprisingly neat, in comparison to his office, which was strewn with books and bottles and blood samples, but still she shuddered when she saw a large mason jar filled with cockroaches.  
  
Sara felt Grissom's arm behind her head, supporting her and filling her with calm reassurance. She looked over at him again, and found him to be gazing at her back and shoulders with a keen interest. She smiled knowingly at him.  
  
"It was good," Grissom offered, sensing Sara's obvious confusion.  
  
Sara chuckled and playfully nudged him in the ribs, but he blocked her elbow and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, entranced by her melodious laughter. Sara looked downward and then up into his eyes. She noticed his dishevelled curls and her heart skipped a beat. It had been good.  
  
"Yes, Grissom, I remember that much," she breathed, inches from his glowing face. A cool breeze wafted in through an open window, soothing her dry skin. Sara needed a moisturizer badly, but he didn't seem to notice.  
  
"You don't have work tonight," Gil said, grinning.  
  
"Neither do you, or so I'm told," Sara smiled, running a finger through his curly greying hair.  
  
"What would you like for dinner?" He asked, privately smiling at the strangeness of the sentence. Most people had breakfast afterwards, but Grissom? No, he had dinner. For him, and Sara, it was the evening after, rather than the morning.  
  
"I don't care, as long as... I don't have to cook," Sara replied, wincing slightly as she tried in vain to sit up. This action made Grissom smile with macho pride, a smile that only played across his face on a very few occasions.  
  
"I can make stir fry," he offered again, and on Sara's raised eyebrow, continued, "vegetarian stir-fry. With vegetables."  
  
Sara grinned mischievously.  
  
"It helps if you put vegetables in vegetarian food. Sort of fulfils the objective of it being vegetarian," she retorted, grinning.  
  
Grissom's face reddened slightly. He always lost his words around her, but this situation was entirely different. Today he'd gotten to touch her in ways that only a privileged few ever had. He'd earned the opportunity of giving her (hopefully) bliss, and once that was accomplished, he was rewarded by being able to bask in her radiant afterglow. Grissom never wanted to stop holding her, but that was, in truth, his punishment - he'd soon have to stop holding her, but that wasn't to say it would be the last time...  
  
He leaned over and kissed her, pressing his nervous lips against hers. She kissed him back, savouring the feel of his intense burning heat.  
  
Grissom pulled away from her unwillingly and stood up, grabbing a green bathrobe adorned with tiny spiders. Sara emitted that peculiar giggle again; she was quite amused that such a serious and intelligent man would own such a comical item of clothing. Of course, Greg was a forensic genius and he still had that obscure hairstyle.  
  
Sara searched for her clothes and found them scattered across the floor and hanging from various chairs and hooks. After locating her pants, finally, she asked Grissom where his washroom was located. He smiled and pointed down the short hall and to the left. Standing up, the breeze hit Sara at full strength and caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end and she shivered. Grissom chortled with amusement and she glared at him, scurrying down the hall and into the washroom, locking the door behind her.  
  
"You can't hide in there forever, Sara," Grissom laughed light-heartedly.  
  
"I can try!" She replied, emitting a small laugh herself.  
  
Sara heard his voice trail as he headed into the kitchen to procure nourishment. Her laughter died slightly as she viewed herself in the mirror. A thousand thoughts bounced off each other in her head. She felt like throwing up and holding a grand parade at the same time. Sara felt nervous, confused, overjoyed, dazed and excited in unison. Breathing deeply, she tried to settle her racing pulse and assess the situation. Her scientific mind was doing battle with her love-filled heart.  
  
Eventually, she came to a certain conclusion. This was not at all helpful, of course, because she was naked and being served dinner in her boss' house. Sara cringed. That didn't sound like the stuff of romance novels - not that she'd ever had the patience to read an entire one. They were so full of fluff and scientific impossibilities that Sara thought them irrelevant and pointless.  
  
She heard Grissom's voice drift in through the bathroom door and realized she still hadn't dressed.  
  
"Stir fry! With vegetables!" He called to her.  
  
Sara dressed herself quickly and looked deep into the mirror, thinking hard about what would be the appropriate scientific reaction to this situation. She could easily thank him for an entertaining day and be on her way, but that would not at all have the satisfying result she was looking for. On the other hand, she could stay here and spend the night (for once, actually at night) with the man she was quickly falling in love, not to mention in lust with.  
  
She decided on the latter.  
  
After all - who was Sara Sidle to resist vegetarian stir-fry?  
  
***  
  
End, Chapter the Third! More? Sure! Encouragement is always welcome, though. :) 


	4. Chapter the Fourth

You know, a funny thing happened over the spring and early summer - I forgot I was writing this story! But then I went back and read it again and thought "Woah! I have to continue this!" so I am! This is chapter four. It will probably be concluded next chapter or... maybe it will just go on forever. Muaha! Also, I know things have happened on CSI since my last entry, but I'm ignoring them. Just picking up where I left off!  
  
***  
  
"I believe in you,  
  
I'll give up everything just to find you,  
  
I have to be with you,  
  
To live, to breathe,  
  
You're taking over me..."  
  
Sitting across the dinner table, Sara Sidle smiled to herself. She hadn't actually had dinner with a man in years, it had always been breakfast, which not many guys were interested in. Now she was eating vegetarian stir fry with Gil Grissom, her supervisor, just hours after they'd made love for the first time, and a thought occurred to her.  
  
"Grissom, this is really horrible stir fry," she said plainly, looking up at him.  
  
He stared at her for a moment before she burst into a wide, gap-toothed grin. He couldn't help but smile back at her as laughter began to bubble from her throat.  
  
"I'm not very good at cooking vegetarian," the entomologist replied embarrassedly, smirking at Sara's expression.  
  
"Want to order in?" She asked playfully, running her bare foot against his lower leg underneath the table.  
  
They'd both gotten dressed for some reason, but Sara still hadn't put on any socks. Grissom correctly took this to mean she didn't plan on leaving his apartment any time soon.  
  
"I'll call," she offered, as Grissom had settled into a sort of lovesick daze that, she thought, suited him quite well.  
  
She stood up and walked from the dinner table to the tiny kitchen and picked up a black cordless phone, punching in the number of her favourite Chinese food place. She ordered some absurdly named dish for her male counterpart and vegetarian stir fry for herself. She had a craving for it now.  
  
When she put the phone down, Sara turned around to find Grissom halted right in front of her. He was wearing dark jeans and an extremely soft, deep green sweater. She smiled. Her hands slipped under his arms and around his back, fingers relishing the comfy material.  
  
The brunette looked up into his eyes and smiled brilliantly.  
  
"Grissom, I can't believe it's taken us this long to get together outside of work," Sara grinned.  
  
"This doesn't count as overtime," he replied seriously, before breaking into a smirk himself.  
  
He was staring into her eyes. She looked genuinely happy, something he hadn't seen in a very long time, but there was still a drop of sadness in her joyful expression. Grissom didn't want her to hurt any more. He wanted more than anything to make her forget Hank, forget how horrible he'd been to her.  
  
"Are you-" he started, but Sara caught him trying to pity her and interrupted.  
  
"I will be," she said strongly, gazing into his blue eyes, "but thanks. I'm not used to hurting. I'll get over it."  
  
She was so beautiful to him in that moment, beautiful in her imperfection. She was confused and strong and gorgeous, unsure but capable.  
  
In an instant, his lips were pressed to hers. Sara kissed him back and it was soft and gentle, but passionate all the same. It wasn't the first time, but it was still electric and overpowering. All the energy built up from the moments they'd shared over the years came out in their lips moving together. Slowly, she pulled away.  
  
"Grissom, where... do we go from here, what... do we do?" she questioned, looking downwards.  
  
His hands were on her lower back, massaging her through her silky shirt, and the warmth was more comforting than anything else.  
  
"I don't know, Sara," he replied, smiling that her name was being used so frequently by him. It made this all feel more real.  
  
The chocolate-haired criminalist grinned at him and the perplexity in his eyes. They both knew this felt right, but they were confused and excited, and neither really knew what the next step should be in this new relationship. They'd been in love with each other for so long but never done anything about it that they were unaware of how quickly they were allowed to move. Sara was ready move in and Grissom was making plans for a nursery, but they knew it couldn't happen that fast. This was supposed to take more time.  
  
"Grissom, I..." she began, and upon finding the courage in his caring eyes, continued, "I love you."  
  
He was taken aback slightly by her statement. His heart beat rapidly, and he tried to will it to slow down. He had wanted for years to hear her say those words, but now that they'd been uttered, he was speechless. Grissom could calculate scientific theorems in a second, but having to respond to something so incredible and stunning?  
  
"I..." he began, trying to spit out the words, but he was cut short by the buzz of his apartment door.  
  
"That was quick," Sara said with a start, looking to the door.  
  
She walked to the front door, leaving Grissom standing awkwardly at the edge of the kitchen. He hadn't been able to tell her he loved her, and she'd just left him alone with his confused and ashamed thoughts. He was a respected man of science, but he was terribly awkward when it came to *her*.  
  
Sara returned, brown hair swishing behind her. In her arms she carried a plastic bag filled with Styrofoam containers of oriental cuisine. It was then that Grissom realized he hadn't paid for the food.  
  
"Sara, I'm sorry, I forgot to give you the money," he said, reddening slightly.  
  
"It's okay, I'm paying you back for breakfast," she replied playfully, setting the food on the table.  
  
Grissom fetched utensils and coffee for both of them, sitting down and trying to figure out what it was that he was supposed to be eating. His meal looked like a cross between a squid and a yellow sponge, with brown anemones on the side. It was actually tasty when he finally dared to try it. The meal passed without much conversation, the two of them laughing about Catherine for a minute before returning to their food.  
  
Soon Sara's container of stir fry was empty and Grissom's squid-sponge had been devoured. They put the food away and cleaned up impeccably, neat freaks that they were, before realizing that they now had nothing to do. They stood in the sparkling kitchen opposite each other, awkward and slightly nervous. The glasses in Grissom's face were slightly lopsided and he wore an anxious grin, while Sara's brown hair pooled around her shoulders beautifully and her eyes sparkled.  
  
Grissom dove first. He moved in an instant to Sara and wrapped her in his arms again, kissing her passionately. She kissed him back with more fervor than before, twirling her fingers in his short, curly hair. The gentle tenderness of before seemed vanish completely as they grabbed at each other, worried that if fingers stopped touching skin, that skin would disappear.  
  
Sara broke their kiss for a moment to inhale sharply as Grissom's right hand moved down to her lower back. He smiled at this and seemed to grow more confident. He truly believed that if Sara Sidle would kiss him like this, he was capable of anything.  
  
"Again?" Was all she said, and grinning, he nodded.  
  
They somehow made it to the bedroom in between lips meeting lips and furniture being knocked over haphazardly. It lasted longer than before, due to the slight familiarity, but it was with just as much, if not more passion. Sara's clothes were strewn across the hallway and all over the apartment, along with his. Soon they reached their destination, and it was, to say the least, a very enjoyable evening.  
  
***  
  
Just before Sara drifted off for a post-coital nap, Grissom, with his arms wrapped around her, kissed her on the back of her neck as gently as a butterfly.  
  
"I love you, Sara," he finally managed to articulate, running a hand down her shoulder to rest across her chest.  
  
"I know," she smiled encouragingly, and Grissom felt satisfied at last.  
  
At least they were aware that they had each other, and right now, that was all either of them needed. To be loved.  
  
His stir fry had actually been quite excellent.  
  
***  
  
Finite Chapter 4! Wow, I can't believe it's finally being continued. The next chapter will probably finish it up. Coming up, the two CSIs must return to work, as was inevitable, and face their futures together, obstacles in the workplace and the wrath of Catherine the matchmaker. Please R&R! Thanks! 


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